As a television news reporter, video producer and documentary filmmaker, I have literally interviewed thousands of people over a span of more than two decades, so these insider tricks are tried and true!
Asking The Right Questions: Documentary Interview Tips | Part 2
The key to a successful interview video is a natural conversation with the subject. Keeping the setup small, and the space comfortable creates an inviting environment for the subject. Anyone who doesnât need to be in the room should step out to avoid being a distraction. When interviewing the subject, let them do most of the talking, and only ask questions to guide the interview.
The most important aspect of filming someone is listening. Listen to what they say, and ask questions based on their responses. Try to dive deep into the âwhyâ or âhowâ of their thoughts. We recommend that you do not print out the questions, but just take note of your list mentally. It should be a conversation that flows naturally. If you do need to reference an outline, try to minimize how many times you refer to it.
Make sure to avoid close-ended questionsâclose-ended questions typically generate âyesâ or ânoâ as an answer. Focus on questions that have a âwhyâ or âhowâ in them, these are generally open-ended questions. By doing this, youâll get meaningful responses. This is key to creating a powerful story.
With recruitment and corporate videos, try to get the subject to open up about their passion for the field. Start the interview with surface-level questions about the job, and then ask more in-depth questions as the interview progresses.
Testimonial videos about products or services should focus on how a problem was solved. Ask questions about the time and cost savings of the product or service.
Scott Thurman: People can sense whether you’re interested in their perspectives or you’re trying to fulfill a preconceived notion… [While filming The Revisionaries] I would go to these board meetings and wait until a board member had talked to everyone. I wanted to be the last person – I would even sometimes walk them to their car, just to show them that I was in it for the long haul, to differentiate myself from the news media that was there that day.
Thurman: Don’t be so set on a fixed style – at first I wanted my film to be all observational footage, but as I got into the political aspects, it became so dense that it needed expository information… There’s a method I picked up from something Errol Morris once said: Wait, after the persons stopped talking a while, like several minutes. Don’t even try to get ready for the next shot, just look at them, like you’re waiting for the end of their response, and people are compelled to keep talking.
Galloway: I always try to talk about things other than what I want to shoot. I use [pre-interview] time to chat and make subjects feel comfortable. It’s generally a bad idea to cover any territory you want to film because delivery often flattens out the second time and the subject might say “as I told you earlier,” or “as I mentioned before.” If they jump into such material before we’re rolling, I am pretty straightforward with them – “Wait! Not yet! We have to shoot that…it’s too good or important…”
Katie Galloway, co-director of Better This World, told the story of the FBI’s prosecution of two young activists, Bradley Crowder and David McKay, for domestic terrorism through interviews with the accused, their families, the FBI and observational footage. Scott Thurman, director of The Revisionaries, exposed the process of textbook revision in Texas through Creationist Don McLeroy’s campaign for re-election to the state’s Board of Education. Both directors shared some of their tips for making the most out of the time spent with a subject when the camera isn’t on: the pre-interview.
While a recording device can make a subject feel uncomfortable, documentary filmmakers face the hurdle of an even more unsettling presence – a camera. From expert interviews, to person-on-the-street interviews and in-depth, long term character interviews – whenever a filmmaker sets up to speak one-on-one with a subject, they only have a moment or two to set the tone, create an environment and control what the interview will look like, before the camera starts rolling.
How To Interview Someone for a Documentary
Follow these simple interviewing tips and youll be on your way to making great documentaries!
Got your own lessons and tips youd like to share? Comment below!
FAQ
How do you pre interview a documentary?
- Conduct a Pre-Interview. “Be consciously on the lookout for subjects who are expressive, relaxed, and love the attention of the camera,” says Ivanova. …
- Prepare Complex Questions. …
- Consider the Backdrop of the Documentary Interview. …
- Begin Open-Ended. …
- Lead Into More Specific Questions. …
- Stay Flexible & Allow For Irrelevance.
What questions should I ask a documentary?
- Who or what is your subject? …
- Do you have access? …
- Do your subject(s) do as they preach? …
- What or who is the opposing force in the story? …
- What transforms as your documentary moves along? …
- What is the internal timeline of the story? …
- How is your subject like or unlike you?
What are some questions to ask after watching a documentary?
- Avoid Yes or No Answers. The first rule of documentary filmmaking questions is to avoid yes or no answers. …
- Repeat the Question in the Answer. …
- Assume You Know Nothing. …
- Let the Answers Develop. …
- Explain Why Your Asking.
